Fluid dispenser and a method of assembling such a dispenser

Abstract

A method of assembling a fluid dispenser comprising: a dispenser member ( 2 ), such as a pump, the member including an inlet tube ( 22; 61 ) in which there extends an inlet for admitting fluid into the dispenser member; a reservoir ( 10 ) for containing fluid, said reservoir comprising a cylinder ( 11; 11 ′) and a follower-piston ( 14 ) that is slidably mounted in said cylinder; and an annular dish ( 32; 32 ′) presenting an outer periphery ( 33 ) that is secured to the cylinder ( 11; 11 ′), and an inner periphery ( 321 ) defining an opening ( 20 ) of section that is small relative to the cylinder, the working volume of the reservoir ( 10 ) being defined between the dish ( 32; 32 ′) and the follower-piston ( 14 ) over a height of the cylinder, the method including the successive steps of: filling the reservoir ( 10 ) with fluid; and engaging the tube ( 22 ) in leaktight manner in the opening.

1. A method of assembling a fluid dispenser comprising:
 a dispenser member ( 2 ) comprising a body including an inlet tube ( 22 ;  61 ) which internally defines an inlet for admitting fluid into the dispenser member; 
 a reservoir ( 10 ) for containing fluid, said reservoir comprising a cylinder ( 11 ;  11 ′) and a follower-piston ( 14 ) that is slidably mounted in said cylinder; and 
 an annular dish ( 32 ;  32 ′) presenting an outer periphery ( 33 ) that is secured to the cylinder ( 11 ;  11 ′), and an inner periphery ( 321 ) defining an opening ( 20 ) of section that is small relative to the cylinder, the working volume of the reservoir ( 10 ) being defined between the dish ( 32 ;  32 ′) and the follower-piston ( 14 ) over a height of the cylinder, 
 the method including the successive steps of: 
 filling the reservoir ( 10 ) with fluid; and 
 engaging the tube ( 22 ) in leaktight manner in the opening; 
 wherein the step of filling the reservoir comprises filling the reservoir up to the opening so that there is practically no air left in the reservoir, and then performing the step of engaging the tube in the opening, forcing the remaining air and the excess fluid out of the reservoir, around the tube, until the tube comes into leaktight contact in the opening. 
 
   
   
     2. A fluid dispenser assembly method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of filling the reservoir ( 10 ) comprises filling the reservoir via the opening ( 20 ) of the dish ( 32 ;  32 ′). 
   
   
     3. An assembly method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of filling the reservoir comprises:
 disposing the follower-piston in the cylinder so that the working volume of the reservoir is substantially zero; and 
 injecting fluid though the opening so as to displace the follower-piston inside the cylinder, and thus increase the working volume of the reservoir that is filled substantially exclusively with fluid. 
 
   
   
     4. An assembly method according to  claim 1 , in which the tube, while it is being engaged in the opening, firstly slides without sealing in the opening so as to enable the excess fluid situated in the opening to be forced out around the tube, and secondly becomes engaged in leaktight manner in the opening, in a final assembly position. 
   
   
     5. An assembly method according t 6   claim 1 , in which the excess fluid that is forced out while the tube is being engaged in the opening is collected in a vented space ( 23 ) that communicates with the outside via a passage formed between the dispenser member and reception means ( 351 ) in which the dispenser member is received in unsealed engagement. 
   
   
     6. An assembly method according to  claim 1 , in which the excess fluid that is forced out while the tube is being engaged in the opening is collected in a sealed space ( 23 ) that is isolated from the outside by the sealed engagement of the dispenser member in reception means ( 351 ). 
   
   
     7. An assembly method according to  claim 1 , in which the dish ( 32 ′) is made integrally as a single piece with the cylinder ( 11 ′). 
   
   
     8. An assembly method according to  claim 1 , in which the outer periphery ( 33 ) of the dish ( 32 ) slides in leaktight manner in the cylinder, moving away from the follower-piston while the tube is being engaged in leaktight manner in the opening. 
   
   
     9. The fluid dispenser assembly method according to  claim 1 , wherein the dispenser member is a pump. 
   
   
     10. A method of assembling a fluid dispenser, comprising:
 a dispenser member ( 2 ) comprising a body including an inlet tube ( 22 ;  61 ) which internally defines an inlet for admitting fluid into the dispenser member; 
 a reservoir ( 10 ) for containing fluid, said reservoir comprising a cylinder ( 11 ;  11 ′) and a follower-piston ( 14 ) that is slidably mounted in said cylinder; and 
 an annular dish ( 32 :  32 ′) presenting an outer periphery ( 33 ) that is secured to the cylinder ( 11 :  11 ′), and an inner periphery ( 321 ) defining an opening ( 20 ) of section that is small relative to the cylinder, the working volume of the reservoir ( 10 ) being defined between the dish ( 32 ;  32 ′) and the follower-piston ( 14 ) over a height of the cylinder, 
 the method including the successive steps of: 
 filling the reservoir ( 10 ) with fluid from the follower-piston up to a certain height in the cylinder; 
 inserting the dish into the cylinder until the fluid arrives in the opening of the dish; 
 engaging the tube ( 22 ) in leaktight manner in the opening, the engagement of the tube in the opening forcing the excess fluid out of the reservoir, around the tube, until the tube comes into leaktight contact in the opening. 
 
   
   
     11. An assembly method according to  claim 10 , in which the tube of the dispenser member is pre-assembled in unsealed manner in the opening of the dish, before the dish is inserted into the cylinder, so as to enable fluid to be forced out between the tube and the opening, the tube coming into its final assembly position in leaktight contact in the opening.